Super...slow

Oliver's modus operandi has long been super fast. Perhaps that is why he loved the luge track at Papa and Le Le's house (here are some more pictures of our night sledding adventures).



However, it would seem that he left his super fast self in Maine. Ever since the 31st, when we returned home, Oliver has been moving slower than molasses on a cold day. That being said, while is body is moving slowly, his mind is racing. A typical day of late -

I am sound asleep, cozy in the bed despite being sandwiched between Oliver, Henrietta, Davis, and a two foot dino named Mark. Suddenly Oliver pops awake and declares what he is (he never wakes up as a boy, but rather awakes as some animal - sometimes it is a polar bear, other times a worm, or a fox, or a dog, or a moose, a woodchuck...) - "Me snake. Here's a snake kiss mommy." Still pretty much asleep after my snake kiss (which, in case you were wondering what a snake kiss is, it is a slobbery lap) I am asked - "Mommy, how does groundwater work? Tell me 'bout it." Groundwater?! It is not even 7 in the morning, I am still asleep and I am supposed to explain groundwater!? Ummm. "Mommy, you need a pump to get the water, right?"

Once we finish the groundwater discussion and get ourselves together, we head out for a walk. The boy previously known as Super Fast used to make it down to our favorite coffee shop in 5 maybe 10 minutes depending on how pregnant and slow I was on a given day. Over the past few days it has taken us between 45 minutes and an hour each way. Why? Oliver is interested in tracks - each and every track. "Whose track is this?" "Whose track is that?" "What made that track?" An answer such as - all of the tracks you see on the sidewalk are from people, from their boots and shoes, and the tracks on the road are from cars - is not an acceptable answer. "Whose tracks? What is their name? What kind of car?" Holy smokes!

In an effort to get a bit of exercise, since our two hour walks didn't prove to provide much of any, Davis and I wrestled Oliver and Henrietta into the stroller. And, amazingly, we were treated to two sleeping and peaceful children.